Pelosi Calls Carson 'Disturbingly Unqualified'

On Dec. 5, Democratic House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi blasted Donald Trump's selection of Dr. Ben Carson to head the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

"Dr. Ben Carson is a disconcerting and disturbingly unqualified choice to lead a department as complex and consequential as Housing and Urban Development," Pelosi said in a statement published on the official Democratic Leader website. "Our country deserves a HUD Secretary with the relevant experience to protect the rights of homeowners and renters, particularly in low income and minority communities, and to ensure that everyone in our country can have access to safe and affordable housing without facing discrimination or homelessness."

ADVERTISEMENT

Thanks for watching!

Pelosi went on to say that "there is no evidence" that Carson has any of the qualifications needed for a job with such "immense responsibilities and impact on families and communities across America."

Carson initially protested that he did not have the necessary experience to head a federal agency, having never worked in one and saying weeks before the announcement that he did not wish to serve in a Trump administration, notes the Los Angeles Times.

"I feel that I can make a significant contribution particularly by strengthening communities that are most in need," the retired neurosurgeon said in a statement accompanying the Dec. 5 announcement on Trump's official presidential transition website. "We have much work to do in enhancing every aspect of our nation and ensuring that our nation’s housing needs are met."

ADVERTISEMENT

Thanks for watching!

ADVERTISEMENT

Thanks for watching!

In the press release, Trump praised Carson, a former director of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Maryland, for being a "tough competitor" who "never gives up."

"Ben Carson has a brilliant mind and is passionate about strengthening communities and families within those communities," Trump said in a statement. "We have talked at length about my urban renewal agenda and our message of economic revival, very much including our inner cities. Ben shares my optimism about the future of our country and is part of ensuring that this is a presidency representing all Americans."